BSNL is making a massive move to turbocharge India’s digital backbone, and they’re bringing in a specialized partner to get it done! Forget the massive, distant data warehouses—the focus now is on rapid, localized power.
The Big Partnership and the ‘Edge’ Advantage
In a landmark step for the nation’s connectivity, BSNL’s subsidiary, Bharatnet Telecom Company Limited (BTCL), officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Delaplex Limited on September 29, 2025. This collaboration, announced during BSNL’s Silver Jubilee celebrations in Guwahati, Assam, is all about setting up a pan-India network of Edge Micro Data Centers in five strategic locations across the country.
What’s an ‘Edge’ Data Center? Think of it as local computing power brought right to your neighborhood. Instead of data having to travel far away and back, these compact units process information closer to the user, dramatically reducing lag time (latency). One confirmed location for these new hubs is Guwahati, specifically near the Borjhar Airport IT Park, aiming to transform the city into a key technology center. This follows a successful trial run of the technology in BSNL’s Telangana Circle on June 18, 2025.
The Strategy: Boosting MSMEs and Preparing for 5G
This initiative is a crucial pillar of the “Digital Bharat” vision, serving two main strategic goals. First, it directly targets MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) and SMBs, providing them with affordable, high-performance, and secure digital infrastructure that was previously too complex or expensive. By using BSNL’s extensive existing network infrastructure, the project maintains a low-Capex model (low capital expenditure).
Second, the move is perfectly timed to meet India’s surging digital demand. The need for data centers is expected to increase a stunning 5x to 8 GW by 2030, driven by AI, cloud adoption, and regulations like the DPDPA, which mandates data localization.
Moreover, this new infrastructure will powerfully support BSNL’s ongoing upgrade to an indigenous 4G network and its ambitious plans to roll out 5G soon, with 6G technology expected by 2030. Beyond pure tech, this expansion is set to boost local employment, allowing skilled youth to find opportunities closer to home, contributing to a self-reliant digital ecosystem. The Indian data center market, valued around $524.8 million in 2024, is forecast to skyrocket to over $3 billion by 2033—and BSNL and Delaplex are ready to capture that growth.
